Vertically adjustable and foldable rod weeder support wheels



Aug. 18, 1959 K. B. SORENSEN ET AL VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE AND FOLDABLEROD WEEDER SUPPORT WHEELS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 20, 1957 INVENTORSKNUD B. SORENSEN BRIAN E. KENT ATTORNEYS Fij 1 Aug. 18, 1959 Filed Feb.20, 1957 K. B. SORENSEN ET AL 2,900,031 VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE ANDFOLDABLE ROD WEEDER SUPPORT WHEELS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS. KNUD B.SORENSEN BRIAN E. KENT v ATTORNEYS United States Patent 0,

VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE AND FOLDABLE ROD WEEDER SUPPORT WHEELS Knud B.Sorensen, Rock Island, and Brian E. Kent, Mo-

line, Ill., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Deere & Company, acorporation of Delaware Application February 20, 1957, Serial No.641,363

13 Claims. (Cl. 172-44) The present invention relates generally toagricultural implements and more particularly to such ground Workingimplements as rod weeders and the like.

The object and general nature of the present invention is the provisionof a rod weeder in which new and improved means for raising and loweringthe weeder rod is provided. More particularly, it is an importantfeature of this invention to provide raising and lowering means in thenature of a jack in which an oscillating handle may be swungsuccessively through several strokes to raise the weeder rod andassociated parts into a raised or transport position from a groundpenetrating or operating position, and similarly, the raising andlowering means of the present invention is also adapted to be operatedthrough several strokes successively for lowering the weeder rod from atransport position into a ground penetrating or working position.Implements of this type have heretofore been provided with raising orlowering means but generally they have been constructed so that the handlever is movable only through a single stroke in at least one of theraising and lowering directions, if not in both directions. Implementsof this kind, especially those constructed to work a strip of ground ofconsiderable width, are relatively heavy and it is relatively difficulteven to lower the implement from a transport position into a'workingposition by manipulating a hand lever of the single stroke type andmanual operation thereof, even in the lowering direction, is attended byat least some hazard in the event the operator loses his grip on thehand lever or is unable physically, by virtue of the relatively greatefli'ort required, to positively control the lowering of the weeder rodand associated portions of the main frame. It is even more difiicult,especially in the larger sizes, to raise the weeder rod and associatedportions of the main frame from a working position into a transportposition. It is, therefore, an important feature of this invention toprovide raising and lowering means in the nature of jacking mechanismthat is operable through several strokes of a hand operated lever toboth raise and lower the tool and associated parts into and out oftransport and working positions.

More specifically, it is a feature of this invention to provide a partrockably mounted on the main frame and connected with the transportframe of the rod weeder, with a successively operated hand lever andmeans thereon for controlling a pair of latches for alternately latchingthe shiftable part to the main frame and to the oscillatable hand lever,optionally, whereby the hand lever may be operated through successivestrokes to raise and lower the weeder rod. It is a further feature ofthis invention to provide raising and lowering means affordingconsiderable mechanical advantage, both in the raising and loweringdirections, so that without the exertion of undue effort, the operatorhas secure and positive control of the implement at all times.

Still further, a feature of this invention is the provi- 2,900,031Patented Aug. 18, 1959 ice sion of a rod weeder having a main framecarrying drive wheels and a ground penetrating weeder rod, and atransport frame movably connected with the main frame and shiftedpositively and both the rod-raising direction and in the rod-loweringdirection, the raising and lowering means being so constructed andarranged that the transport frame and the associated transport wheelsmay be raised entirely off the ground so as to leave the main framesupported on the drive wheels and on the supports for the weeder rod. Byvirtue of this construction, a further advantage is secured. When themain frame is supported as just described, the rod-supports are soarranged that the raising and lowering lever may-be locked in place andused to tilt the main frame about the points of connection of the rodsupports with the ground so as to facilitate the raising of the forwardportion of the main frame and the associated drive wheels off theground, therebyfacilitating the placing of an auxiliary transport wheelattachment in position so as to support the forward portion of the mainframe, after which the raising and lowering means may then be used toraise the rear portion of the main frame and the associated weeder rodand rod supports entirely oil the ground, whereby the implement is thensupported for endwise transport, as may be desirable when moving theimplement from place to place along roads, narrow lanes and in otherZones of restricted area. In this connection it is a further feature ofthis invention to provide new and improved auxiliary wheel attachmentmeans whereby the latter is adapted to be swung automatically intoposition to support the associated portion of the main frame merely bythe momentary raising of the latter.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will beapparent to those skilled in the art after a consideration of thefollowing detailed descrip- Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side viewshowing the principal portions of the raising and lowering mechanism,showing the latter from the right side of the implements.

Fig. 4 is a view of the raising and lowering mechanism, being a viewtaken from the left side of the implement.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 5-5 of Fig. 1,showing certain details of the auxiliary transport wheel attachment.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the control handle foroperating the latches of the raising and lowering means, the handle inFig. 6 being shown as it appears from the rear of the implement lookingforwardly. V V Fig. 7 isa sectional line 7-7 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken generally along the view takengenerally along the line 88 of Fig. 3.

weeder in which the principles of the present invention have beenincorporated is somewhat similar to the rod weeder shown in US. Patent2,556,416 issued June 12, 1951, to Howard F. Clausen and comprises amain frame 10 normally supported on a pair of drive wheels 11 journaledby suitable bearing means in vertical brackets 12 that are fixed to endbars 13 that form a part of the main frame 10. The latter also includesa transversely disposed front bar 14, preferably in the form of an anglemember that includes a downwardly extending front flange 15, and a rearcross bar 16, also in the form of an angle. The bars 13, 14 and 16 aresuitablyconnected together in rigid relationship and maintained 1npos1t1on and reenforced by diagonal braces 17. The main frame alsoincludes a pair of fore-and-aft extending intermediate angles 18, andbetween the angles 18 a second pair of angles 19 are disposed generallycentrally of the frame 10; The rear ends of the angles 18 are extendedrearwardly of the rear transverse angle 16 and receive sultable bearingmeans 21 in which a rockshaft 22 is mounted for rocking movement. One ofthe central frame angles 19 is extended rearwardly to a point intransverse alignment with the rear portions of the angles 18, and thisxetended section, as indicated at 19a, carries bearing means 24 in whicha central portion of the rockshaft 22 is journaled.

It will be noted that the drive wheels 11 are disposed adjacent thefront angle of the main frame 10. Extending generally rearwardly fromthe rear portion of the frame 10 is a transport frame 26 that comprisesa rear transverse angle 27 that is connected at its ends to a pair offorwardly extending transport frame angles 28,

the forward ends of which are pivotally connected, as

at 29,- to the front transverse angle'15 of the main frame 10; Fixed tothe rear portion of each transport frame end angle'28 and the adjacentportion of the transverse angle 27 is a transport wheel spindle bearingmember 31, preferably in the form of a sleeve, which receives theupwardly extending spindle portion 32 of the associated caster wheelfork 33. The latter receives the associated transport caster wheel 34through any suitable form of bearing means. It will be noted that thetransport caster wheels 34 may swing 360. The rear portion of thetransport wheel frame 26 is connected through links 36 with a pair ofarms 37 that are fixed, as by welding, to the end portions of therockshaft 22. Rocking of the rockshaft 22 therefore serves to raise andlower the rear portion of the main frame relative to the trans portframe 26.

Secured to the main frame end angles 13 and the main frame intermediateangles 18 are pendants 41, of conventional construction so far as theprinciples of the present invention are concerned, the lower forwardlydisposed portions of the pendants receiving ground penetratstantiallymidway between the front and rear portions of the main frame 10. Theweeder rod 43 is driven from the ground wheels 11 through sprocket andchain means suitable sprocket 47 over which a drive chain 48 is trained.The drive chain 48 through suitable means (not shown) drives thesprocket and chain means that is enclosed within the housing 45. Itwillbe not'ed from Fig. 1 that the upper portion of the housing,45, togetherwith the associated, driving connections, are supported by the twocentrally arranged angles19v The mechanism for raising and lowering therear portion of .the main frame 10 relative to the transport frame 26,with which the present invention is more particularly concerned, wilinowbe described. v H a A generally upwardly and rearwardly extendingbracket 50 is fixed to the rear portion of the main frame 10, as bybeing welded to the central bearing member 24. The bracket 50 is in theform of a plate that is slotted at its outer end, as at 51. Fixed to therockshaft 22 adjacent the bracket plate 50 is a notched sector 52, thenotches being indicated at 53. The sector 52 includes a base part 54 andan arcuate notched part 59. The part 54 is welded to the shaft 22. Ahand lever 56 is pivotally connected, as by a bolt 57, with the rigidbracket 50; The hand lever 56 includes a hammer strap 58 that passesalong the other side of the arcuate member 59 of the sector 52, the endof the hammer strap 58 being apertured to receive the pivot bolt 57. Thehammer strap 58 is fixed to the lever 56 by a pair of bolts 61 whichalso fix a U-shaped guide 62 to the hand lever 56. The end portions ofthe guide 62 are apertured to receive a latch detent 64 that, as bestshown in Fig. 7, comprises a generally T-shaped member having a shanksection 65 slidable in the guide 62 and a head section 66 that extendsthrough slots 67 and 68 formed in the main part of the hand lever 56 andin the strap 58. The head section '66 is engageable with the notches inthe arcuate sector member 59. A spring 63 is disposed between the lowerend of the guide 62 and the head section 66 of the latch 64 so as tobias the latter for movement toward the notched sector 52. A link 69 hasa lostmotion connection 70 with the latch member 64 and extendsoutwardly along .the handle 56 to a pivoted latch operating member 71 towhich the link 69 is pivotally connected. The member 71 is pivoted, asat 72, to a yoke 73 that is fixed to and forms a part of the hand lever56.

Means is provided for selectively locking the sector 52 to the bracket50 that is fixed to and forms a part of the main frame 10. To this end,a latch member 74 is disposed in, the slot 51 formed in the outer end ofthe bracket 50, ,which carries an L-shaped bracket. 76 that is alsoslotted, as at 77, the slots 51 and 77 being in register and the slottedportions being spaced apart so as to receive the notched sector member59 therebetween.

The transverse portion of the latch 74 extends through both of the slotsand 76 and is movable therein into and out of engagement with thenotches on the member 59. The elongated or main portion 80 of the latchmember 74 extends radially inwardly along the bracket 50 and carries abiasing spring 81 that bears at one end lower end is connected to apivot stud 87 that is carried by a release lever 88. The latter isswingably mounted on a pivot stud 89 carried by the bracket 56. Thepivot stud 87 receives a slotted plate 92 welded to and forming thelower portion of the operating link 36. The slot, shown at 91 in theplate 92, forms a lost-motion connection,

similar to the connection 70 mentioned above. A link 93 connects thestud .87 with the adjacent portion of the latch 74. The link '86 extendsalong the hand lever 56,

generally opposite the other link 69, and is pivotally connected to thehandle 71 at a point opposite the connection of the link 69 thereto. Itwill be seen, particularly from Figs. 3 and,4, th at the stud 87 islocated so as to lie adjacent the pivot 57 at which the hand lever 56 ispivoted to the stationary bracket 50. This is for the purpose of causinga pull on the link 86 to release the latch 74 from the sector, 52 manyposition of the hand lever 56. A

pull on the other link 62 serves to disengage the latch 64v from thesector 52 the links 69 and 93 are operated by swinging the handle 71 inone direction or the other about its pivot 72, and when the handle 71 isoperated to pull outwardly on one link, the other link moves idlyinwardly relative to its associated latch by virtue of the slotted orlost-motion connection at its inner end with the associated latch.

The hand lever 56 and associated parts, as described above, constitutesraising and lowering means in the form of a jack for raising andlowering the rear portion of a main frame relative to the transportframe, the construc tion being such that a plurality of successiveoscillations of the hand lever 56 is capable of either raising the rearportion of a main frame relative to the transport frame or, optionally,raising the transport frame by a plurality of oscillations of the handlever 56 relative to the main frame so as to elevate the casteringtransport wheels entirely off the ground, the main frame then beingsupported by the front drive wheels and by the contact of the weeder rodshoes with the ground.

To raise the main frame relative to the transport frame, for example,the handle 71 is operated in the following manner. If the hand lever 56is not already in its upper position, lying substantially in contactwith the stationary bracket 50, the hand lever 56 is moved into thatposition by first pulling outwardly on the right end of the handle 71 inorder to release the latch 64 from the sector 52. This frees the handlever 56 from the sector 52, the latter being at this moment latchedagainst movement relative to the main frame by virtue of the latch 74.After the hand lever 56 has been moved to its upper position, the handle71 is manipulated to reengage the latch 64 with the sector 52 and thenthe handle 71 is swung in the other direction to exert a pull throughthe link 86 against the latch lever 88, which acts to release the latchor detent 74 from the sector 52. It may be necessary when doing this toswing the hand lever 56 in one direction or the other to relieve thepressure on the latch 74. With the latter latch released, the hand lever56 may then be swung downwardly, shifting the sector 52 and rocking therockshaft 22 in a direction to swing the end arms 37 downwardly,relative to the main frame 10, thus bearing against the transport frameand transport castering wheels to raise the rear portion of the frame.In performing this function, the hand lever 56 acts with a mechanicaladvantage that is determined by the distance between the pivot 57 andthe sector-engaging latch or detent 64. ,The downward movement of thehand lever 56 is limited by engagement of the innermost end of the handlever 56 with a suitable stop such as the part 101 that is welded to thestationary bracket 50. Without the stop 101, the latch 64 could bindagainst the sector 52. After the hand lever 56 has been swung downwardlythrough one stroke, the handle 71 may be manipulated to reengage thelatch 74 with the sector 52, which thus locks the sector and therockshaft 22 against movement, and then the handle 71 may be moved inthe other direction to disengage the latch 64 from the sector, afterwhich the hand lever 56 is raised upwardly into a position to bereengaged with the sector 52, the holding latch 74 released and theframe 10 raised another increment by another downward stroke of the handlever 56. This action may continue until the frame is raised as far asdesired. For transport in the normal direction of travel, the frame 10is raised until the weeder rod 43 and shoes 42 raise entirely out ofcontact with the ground. It will be noted that by leaving the hand lever56 in its raised position in which it contacts the rear edge of thebracket 50, the sector 52 and rockshaft 22 are held in interconnectedrelation with the main frame by a dual verse of the above-mentionedoperation.

looking action. That is, the sector 52 is held locked to the main frameby the locking latch 7 4. In addition, the latch 64 connects the sectorwith the hand lever 56, and the latter, being disposed against the rearor upper edge of the bracket 50, thus serves as additional lockingmeans, insuring that the main frame, particularly the rear portionthereof, including the weeder rod itself, will be securely andpositively held in a raised or transport position.

The frame 10 may be lowered by substantially the re- When it is desiredto lower the frame and weeder rod, as to place the latter in operatingor ground working position, the hand lever 56 is first disengaged fromthe sector 52 and swung downwardly to a lower position, after which thelatch 64 is engaged with the sector and the hand lever operated a slightamount, sufiicient to relieve the pressure on the locking latch 74. Thenthe part 71 is manipulated to release the locking latch 74, after whichthe handle 56 is raised, which permits the frame to lower until the handlever 56 engages the bracket 50, and then the locking latch 74 isreengaged with the sector, the hand lever latch 64 disengaged from thesector 52 and the hand lever lowered. Next the hand lever latch 64 isreengaged with the sector 52 and the locking latch 74 disengaged, afterwhich the frame may be lowered another increment of lowering movement.Thus, even though the frame 10, including the pendants and weeder rod,may be relatively heavy, the same is raised and lowered manually withrelative ease.

The raising and lowering mechanism just described is particularlyadapted for use with the larger size implements that work a relativelywide strip of ground, and it is desirable to provide for endwisetransport of these implements so that they may readily be passed throughgates, along narrow lanes, highways and the like where .transport of theimplement in its normal transport position would not be feasible.

To provide for endwise transport in the implement described above, it isnot necessary to make any change in the support of the rear portion ofthe implement on the transport wheels 34, for they readily swing intothe proper position for endwise travel. It is, however, necessary toprovide transport means to support the forward portion of the mainframe, including the drive wheels 11, so that the latter are carried outof contact with the ground. According to the principles of the presentinvention, we provide an auxiliary transport wheel attachment that is soconstructed and arranged as to be carried by the front portion of themain frame of the'rod weeder and is especially adapted to cooperate withthe positive action jack type raising and lowering mechanism that, asdescribed above, raises and lowers the transport frame and associatedcastering wheels relative to the rear portion of the main frame.

The auxiliary transport wheel attachment is indicated in its entirety bythe reference numeral and includes a transport Wheel 111 journaled bysuitable bearing means in the lower portion of a wheel standard 112, thelower portion of which is formed as a fork member 113 receiving thewheel and the upper portion of which is in the form of a verticallyextending standard 114 having a vertically extending slot 115. Securedto one edge of the Wheel standard 114 is a transverse frame-engagingplate 117 that preferably is welded to the standard section'114 and tothe fork member 113. A frame-engaging lip 118 is fixed .to the innerside of the plate 117 in such spaced relation that the flange 15 of thefront frame angle 14 is adapted to be received therebetween, as bestshown in Fig. 5.

The transport wheel supporting member 112 is swingably connected withthe main frame 10 by means of a bracket 121 that is adapted to befastened to the upper flange of :the frame angle 14 by a pair of bolts122 or other suitable means. The bracket 121 includes a pair of lugs 123that are fixed to a base plate 124 in laterally spaced apart relation.The spacing between the lugs 123 is that suflicient to receive the upperor slotted end of the transport Wheel standard 114. The lugs 123 areapertured to receive a pivot bolt 126 that extends through the slot 115.The slot "accommodates a limited amount of vertical movement of theauxiliary transport wheel attachment 110 relative to the main frame 10.

In operation, that is, with the weeder rod in soil working position, thewheel attachment 110 is normally swung upwardly and over onto the mainframe to occupy an inoperative position, as shown in Fig. 2, theattachment being supported by virtue of the pivot bolt 126 and theengagement of an edge of the wheel standard 114 with the top of thebracket base plate 124. When it is desired to provide for endwisetransport of the rod weeder, all that it is necessary to do is firstswing the transport wheel 111 from the position shown in Fig. 2 over tothe position shown in Fig. 1 where the wheel 111 is in contact with oradjacent the ground and the lip 118 contacting the outer face of thefront frame angle flange 15. Next, the hand lever 56 and associatedlatches may be manipulated so that the transport frame 26 with itscastering wheels 34 are lifted entirely off the ground, the implementbeing supported by the front drive wheels 11 and theweeder rod shoes 42.As can be seen from Fig. 2, the shoes are located approximately midwaybetween the front and rear of the implement, and therefore, with thetransport frame and associated parts entirely off the ground, the handlever 56, locked to the sector 52 in the proper position while thesector itself is locked to the stationary bracket 50, may then be usedas a lever to tip or tilt the entire implement about the points ofcontact of the weeder rod shoes with the ground, the implement beingtilted after the auxiliary transport wheel has been swung upwardly andoutwardly relative to the main frame angle 14 until the wheel extendsdownwardly into contact with the ground as mentioned above. Then as theimplement is tilted about the weeder rod shoes, the front part of themain frame and the drive wheels 11 are lifted into a raised position.During this movement, the auxiliary wheel attachment 110 swingsdownwardly and inwardly, since the center of gravity of the attachmentis located forward of the pivot 126, the wheel standard swinging into aposition carrying the lip section 118 downwardly and then underneath thelower edge of the flange of the frame angle 14. By virtue of the slot115, the wheel standard is permitted to occupy such a position relativeto the main frame that the lip section 118 clears thelower edge of theframe angle as the transport wheel unit swings downwardly into agenerally vertical position underneath the angle 14. Then the hand lever56 is manipulated to first lower the transport frame 2 6 until thecaster wheels 34 rest on the ground. Then the hand lever 56 is furtheroscillated, with proper actuation of the associated latches, so that therear portion of the main frame 10 is raised so as to elevate the weederrod and associated shoes above the ground. The implement is thensupported on the rear castering wheels 34 and on the front auxiliarywheel 111. The weight of the frame and associated parts transmitted :tothe auxiliary wheel attachment 11G acts to hold the front flange 15 ofthe frame angle 14 in interconnected relation between the lip section118 and the frame-engaging plate 117. The extent of contact betweenthese parts is such that the auxiliary transport wheel 111 is heldagainst displacement out of its endwise transport position. Any kind ofend mounted hitch may be used for drawing the rod weeder in itstransport position. After being transported to the desired destination,the transport frame 26 is again lowered until the main frame can betilted on'the shoes, and then the auxiliary transport wheel unit 110 isswung upwardly and over onto the frame and into its inoperative position(Fig. 2), after which the shoes 42 and rod 43 are lowered into theiroperating position.

While we have shown and described the preferred structure in which theprinciples of the present invention have been incorporated, it is to beunderstood that our invention is not to be limited to the particulardetails, shown and described above, but that, in fact, Widely differentmeans may be employed in the practice of the broader aspects of ourinvention.

What we claim, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a rod weeder having a main frame carrying a weeder rod and atransport frame shiftably connected with the main frame and carryingground wheel means, the

improvement comprising a jack connected to act between said frames toraise and lower either frame relative to the other, said jack includinga successively operable hand lever and releasable means connecting saidlever with the transport frame so as to raise or lower the latter whenthe hand lever is moved in one direction or the other, respectively,latch means connected to act between said frames to lock them againstrelative movement in either direction, and means on said handleconnected 'to control both said releasable means and said latch means soas to release one and engage the other alternately.

, 2. In a rod weeder having a main frame carrying a weeder rod and atransport frame shiftably connected with the main frame and carryingground wheel means, the improvement comprising a jack connected to actbetween said frames to raise and lower either frame relative to theother, said jack including a hand lever pivotally connected with oneframe, a part connected with the other frame and including a notchedportion movable alongside said lever and also alongside a portion ofsaid one frame, a first latch means on said frame portion and engageablewith said notched portion to hold said one frame against movement ineither direction relative to the other frame, a second latch means onsaid lever and engageable with said notched portion for connecting saidlever to said notched portion and holding said lever to said notchedportion against movement relative thereto in either direction, and meanson said lever engageable with said first and second latch means formoving them alternately into and out of engaging and releasingpositions.

3. In a rod weeder, a main frame, a transport frame movably connectedwith the main frame, a weeder rod rotatably supported by the main frame,and ground engaging wheels carried by the transport frame, theimprovement comprising a bracket carried by said main frame, a handlever pivotally mounted on said bracket, means to raise and lower therod-carrying portion of the main frame relative to the transport frameand including a notched sector rockable relative to said bracket, afirst latch carried by the hand lever and releasably engageable withsaid sector whereby oscillation of said hand lever in one direction orthe other acts to rock said sector so as to shift the main frame in onedirection or the other relative to said transport frame, a second latchcarried by said bracket and releasably engageable with said sector forreleasably locking the sector against movement relative to the mainframe, and means connected with said latches for alternately engagingand releasing the latches.

4. In a rod weeder, a frame including a bracket, a rockshaft journaledin said bracket, a notched sector fixed to said rockshaft adjacent saidbracket, latch means on the latter to releasably lock the sector againstmovement, a hand lever pivoted on said bracket for movement relativethereto about an axis, said latch means carrying a part disposed atoneside of said lever adjacent said axis, a latch on said hand leverreleasably engageable with said sector whereby the latter and saidrockshaft may be rocked by oscillation of said hand lever, a first meanson the hand lever for controlling said latch, and a second means on thehand lever and extending to a point adjacent said axis and connectedwith said part for operating said latch means indifferent positions ofsaid hand lever relative to said bracket about said axis.

5.-In a rod weeder, a frame including a bracket, a rockshaft journaledin said bracket, a hand lever pivoted on said bracket for movementrelative thereto about an axis, a notched sector fixed to said rockshaftadjacent said bracket, latch means on the latter to releasably lock thesector against movement, said latch means carrying a part disposed atone side of said lever adjacent said axis, and means on said hand leverconnected with said part at a point adjacent said axis for operatingsaid latch means in different positions of said hand lever relative tosaid bracket about said axis.

6. In a rod weeder, a gene rally transverse main frame, drive wheelscarried by said main frame adjacent the forward portion thereof, agenerally transverse weeder rod, ground-penetrating support meansreceiving said weeder rod and disposed adjacent the rear portion of themain frame, a transport frame movably connected with said main frame andextending rearwardly beyond said weeder rod, transport wheel meansconnected with said transport frame, said wheels being swingable from aposition accommodating forward travel of the rod weeder to a positionaccommodating endwise movement of the rod weeder, hand lever meansconnected to act between said frames and to raise said transport framerelative to the main frame and lift said transport wheels off theground, said hand lever means extending in a generally fore-andaftextending direction away from the generally vertical transverse plane ofsaid weeder rod support means, means locking said hand lever meansagainst movement relative to the main frame when the transport frame andtransport wheels are in a raised position, whereby generally downwardmovement of the lever means acts to tilt the main frame about the pointsof contact of said support means with the ground and thereby raise thefront portion of the main frame and lift the drive wheels off theground, and auxiliary transport wheel means attachable to the forwardportion of the main frame when the latter is in its tilted position forsupporting the forward portion of the main frame for endwise transport.

7. In a rod weeder, a generally transverse main frame, drive wheelscarried by said main frame adjacent the forward portion thereof, agenerally transverse weeder rod, ground-penetrating support meansreceiving said weeder rod and disposed adjacent the rear portion of themain frame, a transport frame movably connected with said main frame andextending rearwardly beyond said weeder rod, transport wheel meansconnected with said transport frame, a rockshaft journaled on the mainframe and connected to raise and lower the transport frame relative tothe main frame, a sector fixed to said rockshaft, a first latch carriedby the main frame and releasably engageable with said sector, a handlever pivoted to the main frame adjacent said first latch and carrying asecond latch releasably engageable with said sector and operating whenoscillated about its pivot connection with the main frame to rock saidsector and rockshaft and optionally raise or lower the transport frameand transport wheels relative to the main frame, said first latch actingwhen engaged with the sector to hold the latter in fixed positionrelative to the main frame and said second latch acting when engaged tolock the hand lever to said sector, whereby when both of said latchesare engaged with the sector and the transport wheels raised, said handlever serves as means whereby the main frame may be tilted upwardly atits forward portion about the points of contact of the support meanswith the ground, and auxiliary transport wheel means attachable to theforward portion of the main frame when the latter is in its tiltedposition for supporting the forward portion of the main frame forendwise transport.

8. In a rodweeder having a main frame tiltable about a generallytransverse axis, an auxiliary wheel attachment comprising a wheelstandard, a bracket on the forward portion of said main frame, meansproviding a vertically shiftable and pivotal connection between theupper portion of said wheel standard and said bracket, a transport wheelcarried by the lower portion of said standard, said pivotal connectionbeing located relative to the center of gravity of said wheel and wheelstandard so that when the main frame is raised a portion of said wheelstandard swings underneath an adjacent portion of said main frame, andinterlocking means acting between said main frame and wheel standard andresponsive to lowering of said main frame for looking the wheel standardto the main frame.

9. The invention set forth in claim 8, further characterized by saidlocking means including a lip engageable in non-rotatable relation witha portion of said main frame as a result of the upward relative movementbetween the wheel standard and main frame when the latter is loweredonto and supported by the transport wheel and the associated wheelstandard.

10. The invention set forth in claim 9, further characterized by saidwheel and wheel standard being swingable upwardly over and onto the mainframe when the latter is raised and the wheel standard drops downwardlyrelative to the main frame until said lip is disengageable from the mainframe.

11. An auxiliary wheel attachment for agricultural in1- plements and thelike having a frame bar provided with a downwardly extending portion,said attachment comprising a wheel standard having an upwardly disposedslotted portion, and a lower wheel receiving portion, a ground wheeljournaled on the lower portion, a bracket attachable to said frame bargenerally above said downwardly disposed portion and carrying a pivotextending through the slotted portion of said wheel standard, and abar-engaging portion carried by said standard and adapted to passunderneath the downwardly extending portion on said frame bar when saidframe is raised and said wheel standard depends from said pivot, saidbar-engaging portion engaging the inner side of the downwardly disposedportion of said frame bar when the frame is loweredonto said standard.

12. In a rod weeder, a main frame carrying a weeder rod, a transportframe shiftably connected with the main frame and carrying ground wheelmeans, a rockshaft journaled on the main frame and connected to raiseand lower the transport frame relative to the main frame, a sector fixedto said transport frame, a first latch carried by the main frame andreleasably engageable with said sector, a hand lever pivoted to the mainframe adjacent said first latch and carrying a second latch releasablyengageable with said sector and operating when oscillated about itspivot connection with the main frame to rock said sector and rockshaftand optionally raise or lower the transport frame relative to the mainframe, and said first latch acting when engaged with the sector to holdthe latter in fixed position relative to the main frame and said secondlatch acting when engaged to lock the hand lever to said sector.

13. An auxiliary wheel attachment for agricultural implements and thelike having a frame including a frame bar and means to raise and lowersaid frame, said attachment comprising a wheel standard having anupwardly disposed slotted portion and a lower wheel receiving portion, aground wheel journaled on the lower portion, means on said bar pivotallyreceiving said wheel standard and carrying a pivot extending through theslotted portion of said wheel standard, and a bar-engaging portioncarried by said standard spaced from said slotted portion and adapted toswing toward a bar-engaging position when said frame is raised and saidwheel standard depends from said pivot, said bar-engaging portionengaging said frame bar when the frame is lowered onto said standard.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,451,697 Jelfres Apr. 17, 1923 1,713,474 Lindquist May 14, 19291,883,157 Weaver et a1. Oct. 18, 1932 2,141,805 White Dec. 27, 19382,209,083 Du Vall July 23, 1940 2,696,772 Underdown Dec. 14, 1954

